Elder Scrolls
Register
Advertisement
Elder Scrolls

"Most traps are simple. That's why they work."
―Colin[src]

Colin Vineben is a Breton male Penitus Oculatus agent, who grew up in the city of Anvil. He is one of the main characters of the two novels, The Infernal City and Lord of Souls. He was promoted to Inspector rank by Intendant Marall, and later became one of the best Penitus Oculatus agents. He was then commissioned by the Emperor for investigation of Emperor's son, Attrebus Mede.[1]

Physical appearance[]

Colin looks rather nondescript, with green eyes and brown hair.[2]

History[]

Early life[]

Colin grew up in Anvil. His father died young, and his mother barely got any money by doing laundry. Colin managed to teach himself to read. Regin Oprenus, a city guardsmen of Anvil wrote a recommendation to the Penitus Oculatus about Colin, who was trained by them.[3] He specialized in the Thalmor.[4]

Umbriel Crisis[]

Colin was tasked to kill a man as part of his test to become Inspector of the Penitus Oculatus. The man realized that Colin had a knife, so he tried to resist his attack. After a struggle, Colin cut his throat. Arcus and Khasha came to help Colin to get rid of the body. According to Arcus, it had been quite a fracas. Nonetheless, he was promoted to Inspector.[3]

Colin's third case was to investigate an attack on some Imperial soldiers. He discovered that prince Attrebus was among the dead. One of the bodies was wearing the prince's signet, but it was beheaded. It seemed that the authors of the massacre had been the Natives, an insurgent faction from County Skingrad. Colin spoke to the ghost of one of the soldiers, and he learnt that Attrebus was heading to Black Marsh to stop Umbriel.[1]

Colin attended a meeting with Intendant Marall and Remar Vel. He was surprised that the Emperor Titus Mede I also attended the meeting. Colin exposed his suspicion that the body they found was not Attrebus. Titus said that the body didn't feel like his son. Remar tried to convince the Emperor that the prince was dead, and when he left the room, he shot an unpleasant look to Colin.

After the meeting, he met Nial Sextius in an inn. Nial told Colin that Attrebus' life was a lie. His bodyguards knew that he was only allowed to take part in battles where he heavily outnumbered the enemy. His closest man, Gulan, informed the Emperor every time Attrebus decided to go on a dangerous adventure and something would happen to stop it. Apparently, this time Gulan hadn't reported about Attrebus' purpose to the Emperor.[4]

Colin discovered that Gulan had informed about Attrebus' plan to a woman named Arese. Colin sent her some letters blackmailing Arese saying that he knew what she had done. Arese thought that the author of the letters could be one of Calvur's men, so she met them in their hideout. Colin followed Arese, who after walking through the alleyways of the Imperial City knocked the door of a house. Someone opened the door, and she entered the building. Colin discovered a window, so he climbed and casted a spell to open it.

Colin hid in the shadows and overheard the conversation between Arese and Calvur. He discovered that Arese had hired Calvur and Radhasa to ambush the prince. The conversation between them heated, and Arese summoned a daedra that killed Calvur and his thugs. Arese felt that there was somebody else in the building. The daedra searched for Colin, who was hidden in the shadows. Arese eventually gave up and burned the building.[5]

Colin was kidnaped by two men while he slept. They narcotized him with a substance that made him sleep. When he woke up, Arese killed the men who had kidnaped her and she removed the sack from his head. Arese's men had discovered Colin spying on her, so they brought him to her. Arese explained to Colin that she had been put in the minister's office ten years ago by the Emperor to spy on Hierem. Hierem wanted Attrebus dead, but she could not have warned Titus about Attrebus' plan without revealing herself to Hierem. Arese offered Colin to work with her to gather proof of Hierem's involvement in Attrebus' attack. Colin didn't have much of an alternative, so he agreed to help Arese.[6]

Colin continued investigating about the Attrebus' case. He discovered that some documents in Hierem's ministry had been censored. Arese explained to him that Hierem had done a secret trip to Black Marsh. Delia Huerc had accompanied Hierem in the trip, but she died of an illness a few days after her return.[7] Colin investigated Delia's house. Her home was protected by a daedra that almost killed Colin. Colin ended up defeating the daedra, but he fainted after the battle. When he woke up, Delia's ghost was staring at him. He asked her about her trip to Black Marsh, and she pointed at a baseboard. Colin found a diary, according to it, Hierem had performed a ritual in Lilmoth's Hist tree. Colin went back to Arese's home to report his discovery. However, he noticed that a hooded man had entered the building. Colin broke in through a window. He fought against the assassin, stucking him his knife below his skull. A second assassin attacked him from the rear, but Arese summoned a daedra who killed the last assassin. Arese tried to heal Colin, but the tension of the situation led them to give free rein to pasion.[8]

Colin informed Arese about his discovery, and asked her to contact the Emperor. Arese believed that they needed more evidence, but she finally revealed him the password to speak with the Emperor. Colin met Titus, but the Emperor told him that he needed more proof of Hierem's involvent in the Umbriel Crisis, he could not accuse Hierem without having solid evidence. Before leaving, the Emperor granted Colin a key to Hierem's ministry.[9]

Colin suspected that he could encounter a similar daedra in Hierem's chambers to the one he found in Delia's home. He went to the library of the Penitus Oculatus searching for information. Professor Aronil asked Colin why he was reading a book about pneumatology. He told Aronil part of the story. Aronil told him that only Hierem had read that book in the last twenty years.

Colin guided Arese through the sewers of the Imperial City to a secret room where she could hide. Colin intended to infiltrate in the minister's chambers to search for proof, but Arese thought that the Emperor wanted Colin to kill Hierem. Colin refused to kill the minister unless he was explicitly ordered to do so by the Emperor.[10]

Colin encountered the same type of daedra that he found in Delia's house. He used an Ayleid Soul-maze to capture the creature. He discovered some documents that contained the word Umbriel. He copied their content so that Hierem couldn't notice someone had been reading his things. Colin showed his new discovery to Letine. She said that she knew someone who could help them decipher the drawings, so she left the hideout, despite Colin's concern.[11]

Intendant Marall told Colin about a report that claimed that Prince Attrebus had been seen at the waterfront. Colin return to his hideout. Letine had returned, but she said that she couldn't have deciphered anything. Colin told her about Marall's report, so they prepared to infiltrate Hierem's chambers, in case the prince was being held there.

Colin and Letine discovered Attrebus and Sul imprisoned in Hierem's chambers. Colin managed to force the lock after almost half an hour. They planned to attack Hierem when he teleported back from Umbriel. Sul and Attrebus would in turn be teleported to the flying city.[12]

Colin and Letine surprised Hierem when he returned to his chambers. Colin intended to keep the minister alive, but Letine was determined to kill him. Colin felt a sob heave up from his chest, then he slumped down to the floor. Arese summoned a daedra who attacked Hierem. The daedra wounded him severly, but he managed to defeat it. Hierem asked Letine whether she had discovered what he was up to. Letine told him what she knew. When he was about to kill Arese, Colin threw a knife at Hierem. Hierem noticed Colin's attack, and he dodged the knife. While Hierem was distracted with Colin another daedra butchered Hierem ending with his life.

Colin asked Letine why she hadn't told him about her discovery. Before he could end his question, Letine stabbed him in the lung.[13] Colin fainted, but he waked up some time later. He crossed a hidden door in Hierem’s chambers which led to some stairs. He discoverd Letine performing a ritual at the very axis of the White-Gold Tower. She had discovered from Hierem's diagram how to steal the tower's power. Letine loved Colin, and she offered him to join her, but Colin could not let her perform the ritual. Letine started to summon a daedra, but Colin yanked the knife from his chest and aimed it at Letine. The knife hit Letine in the eye, ending with her life. Colin looked through a window and he saw Umbriel vanish. Finally, Colin died with peace.[14]

Men at his command[]

Some of the men at his command were:

  • Gerring
  • Hand
  • Guilliam
  • Captain Pundus

Quotes[]

  • "But I’ve been trained to think, sir. This office trained me to think."
  • "I’m Colin Vineben. If you’ll just come with me, highness."
  • "Should have finished me off."
  • "Maybe, but the things I need fixed, you can’t do a thing about."
  • "Attrebus, good for you."

Appearances[]

References[]

Advertisement